Page 62 of Shelter for Morgan

He put his hands on her hips and helped her sit up and turn so she could straddle his lap.

The instant she sat down and her heat touched him, he had to clamp his teeth together to keep from coming. Damn it. He felt like a teenage boy and with Morgan, he needed to be a man. He needed to make this incredible for her.

He was desperate to be her last.

With his hands on her hips, holding her against him, he rocked his hips against her and saw the wordless shock on her face.

"You're so hot."

She smiled. "You don't mean that."

The look he gave her said he wasn’t happy with her interpretation.

Her smile eased a little.

"I'll never tell you something that isn't true."

She flushed red, but he had a feeling that it wasn't from heat or arousal.

"You won't think that when... when my clothes come off."

He frowned at her, his forehead furrowing in concern.

"Not a chance."

She shook her head and her hands grasped his shoulders. "I tried..." She bit into her lower lip and when she let it go he could see the pale lines that her teeth had left. "I tried having sex before," she swallowed and he saw how hard her throat worked at it, "I just wanted to do it, like pulling off a bandage, you know? I wanted to figure it out. Lord knows I read more than my share of romances and I wanted to feel that... that... afterglow?"

"You didn't feel that?"

She lowered her gaze again so he touched his fingertip under her chin and turned her to look at him.

"Tell me, Morgan."

Her eyes were watering and he felt like an asshole for asking, but he wanted to know how to make it better for her.

"He took one look at my... my stretchmarks and," she swallowed again, "he sneered at me. He said I was ugly. That I made him sick."

His heart broke for her.

"Morgan. I need you to hear me."

She looked right into his eyes and he knew she'd listen.

"When I say you're hot, I mean it."

"But, you haven't seen-"

"I've seen you."

She pulled back slightly, but he held onto her hips tighter so she wouldn't fall back.

"I've seen your beauty."

Her mouth pinched into a thin line.

"I've seen your smile. I've seen your caring nature. I've seen the way you make others feel important, feel seen. I've seen you worry over the health of others and I've seen how much you give. When I say you're hot, that's what I'm talking about."

She gave him a hesitant smile. "Sure. I know you think that."

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